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What’s near here to walk to besides a CVS & Five Faces for a gyro? … and don’t say “the lake” because nobody bothers with it 7 months a year, the tunnel is all the way at Division, and how many times can/would someone walk out there to watch joggers anyway? Even CVS isn’t really that close. Whenever you decide to take the car out and drive, good luck there’s no free parking around this area. A golden prison!

In these older buildings that don’t have can lights, look at the master bedroom, did they drop the ceiling down above the bed specifically to run elec and add can lights? Is this the only way to do it?

No, a few thousand dollar vacation will have no positive effect, and is an obvious gimmick. I once helped a friend negotiate a residential deal where there was a nearly new car thrown in that the sellers insisted on including at a $30k or so valuation, and in final negotiations after inspections were completed and everyone was only a few thousand apart, the buyer said, remove the car and drop $30k off the price, or I’m out. It was effective, and it was much better for him to have $30k in cash than some used car that wasn’t worth $30k or probably $20k. It’s a good tactic because, if you ask how much the car (or vacation) is worth, the party trying to include will always name a very high number which you can then force back on them.

Wow, did the 2005 buyer do any work? Nice profit regardless for 18 months, even for a huge amount of work. Maybe they put $100k into the kitchens and bathrooms?

I don’t follow this area, but I can’t see this going for more than a million. Probably pretty near or below 2005 price, so I think that it languishes on the market for a year or more (if it stays on). Unless there’s something that I’m missing here, this seems like a great example of a top of the market buyer just getting killed.

Icarus, it wouldn’t matter because you’d still have to have buyers that can afford it no matter what your ask prices are. I mean I guess if everyone were extremely stubborn or something it could work (because some folks refuse to rent or whatever)

“Obviously they couldn’t get everyone but could it happen enough to thwart the market conditions?”

Defectors from a cartel are what kills it, and a cartel is quite tough without homogeneity of goods.

“would it be legal?”

IANYantitrust/competitionL, but probably, as long as it’s just individuals trying to set prices. If the current real estate transaction laws in Illinois can pass muster, just about anything should be able to.

the ploy of adding a vacation condo is clever, but other than maybe drawing someone’s attention to this place, it’s not of enough value to make a difference (I like JJJ’s strategy). I recall some townhouses in LP years ago where they were offering new cars w/ purchase of a new townhouse (even the cheaper Mercedes for the largest townhouse units).

I think this strategy (as opposed to just adjusting the price) would only work for: (i) someone that wanted that car & was happy to have it rolled into their mortgage; or (ii) someone that wanted that car & couldn’t convince their spouse, and could now say–hey, it comes “free” with the townhouse!

Regarding the price fixing suggestion, it wouldn’t work–whether for a single building a neighborhood, etc. a) there are two many potential sellers, including ones that will meet the market; b) efforts right now by many sellers to maintain unrealistic listing prices just get buyers to hold off.

Whoa – no need to knock the hood – free parking at CVS at Clark and Division and at the Jewel, plus Popeye’s is a fairly close walk and if you are in the mood for some fine pizza pie, Domino’s down on Division delivers and the pie would be piping hot when it got to your place. If anything, they should raise the price to around $2 mil to account for the proximity to that Domino’s.

You would need frequent vactions to get away from the horrible “Country French” kitchen/bath, etc re-do. Mid-century modern can be beautiful but this is just not worth the price. You would have to really want the building to pay much over 900K

-What’s near here to walk to besides a CVS & Five Faces for a gyro? … and don’t say “the lake” because nobody bothers with it 7 months a year, the tunnel is all the way at Division, and how many times can/would someone walk out there to watch joggers anyway?-

This is a ridiculous new level of pessimism, even for crib chatter. Living across the street from Lake Michigan is now a detriment to a property. Makes sense, I guess, since all it’s good for is walking out there to watch joggers.

Also, the Gold Coast sucks because the only thing close to you is a CVS.

Everything worth doing in Chicago is at your doorstep. Walk to Oak Street Beach Bar for some shuffle board, Pump Room for drinks, Drake, Mich Ave, etc. It takes a special kind of transplant (suburban?) to suggest that the GC isn’t walkable.

No views here???? Although I don’t understand why they didn’t show them, the description says it has full on lake views. It also mentions kitchen w/ Lake view

miumiu on February 11th, 2011 at 12:27 pm
I will any day get one of the 3BRs in MP over this. I know SL is not as cool of a hood, but there are no views here and it is an old building and the assessments are quite high.

“What’s near here to walk to besides a CVS & Five Faces for a gyro? … and don’t say “the lake” because nobody bothers with it 7 months a year, the tunnel is all the way at Division, and how many times can/would someone walk out there to watch joggers anyway?”

I don’t care for the property, but this comment is a bit absurd. Lots of people clearly think living by the lake is important. And the tunnel “all the way at Division” is precisely one block south of this property. Other stuff within easy walking distance (even if not right out the door): Michigan Ave., viagra triangle, Wells street. Not everybody’s thing, but obviously appealing to some people.

Re Zebra Lounge: Is not and never has been “cool.” Hilarious, but not cool.

I doubt I’m a good judge of cool anymore. But Zebra has been there for a while (as far back as when I might have been a better judge) and I’m pretty sure it’s never been cool. Note, I did say it was hilarious. And that was not a put-down. I’ve been there many times and had a great time. But I’ve never said to my friends: “hey, I know this cool place called the Zebra lounge.” Instead I’ve said: “hey, we’re all falling down drunk, let’s go to this place called Zebra lounge where everyone else is also falling down drunk. There’s a piano and it’s always a freak show. It will be hilarious.”

Do you people really think that any potential buyer of this million dollar Gold Coast high rise condo will be walking to “cool” bars in the area? Or looking for fast food options and free parking nearby? Come-on…..the buyer pool here is a 50+ year old couple with maybe a kid in a private high school, or empty nesters. Do you really think 20 and 30 somethings live in buildings like this?

I was going to point out that I just can’t see why someone would pay $500 a square foot for this unit, even with being in the GC and Lake views. Then I realized I paid around $400 a square foot for my crappy condo a couple years before the height of the boom, and decided to repeatedly punch myself in the testicles because that causes less pain than thinking about all the money I’ve lost on my place.

The Viagra triangle and Michigan Ave are for tourists and expense accounts or for people out seriously partying and “doin’ the town”. Who goes there on a regular basis to stroll out and then eat a $38 steak with $12 drinks and $7 Heinekens???? Hanging out at the Drake is “everything worth doing in Chicago”?

As far as the lake goes, there isn’t even a park or blade of grass across from the subject location, it’s one gigantic slab of concrete from Oak St. beach to North Ave!! Big whoop, what are you going to do, walk under the piss-smell tunnel and then stand there on the concrete and then what? Go out there, you won’t find any of these 1000-1600 N. LSD people out there! Your other choice, other than standing on the concrete slab is getting you and poochie full of sand at Oak St. beach?

Besides the denizens of these urban high-rise shtetls don’t even jog/workout along the lake, they prefer the notorious “steam, shower, sauna” workout at the EBC followed up by a Cobb salad with no bacon. Ha! Do you think these people brag about their jog alongside Lakeview resident bike-riders on the bike path or brag about their EBC club membership? Where do they spend their time, at the lakefront?? Yeah right! LOL!!!!

This neighborhood, like living anywhere, is walkable, I’m just suggesting that there’s nothing to walk to besides CVS and State/Division bars and the concrete slab. Wells Street is not within a normal stroll from this location either.

It’s close to Division and all the “cool” bars on that strip (not including the decidedly un-cool Zebra and its hillarious piano).

Is suggesting that 20-year-old college bar patrons may save the GC any more ridiculous than suggesting that Groupon billionaires are going to save the entire Chi RE market?

What about the accepted theory that the “DePaulville” condos on Webster sold because they were close to Mcgees? Why does that not apply over here? All my friends in their 20’s and early 30’s with money live within a 8 block radius of this building.

Sure it’s unlikely, but it’s no more of a stretch than positing that some Citadel BSD is going to save the Woop, or the Groupers are going to save RN.

Dan – many people who live in the gold coast do hang out in the viagra triangle on a regular basis. They don’t need expense accounts to eat a $57 dinner (by your figures). As for this stretch of the beach — I agree it’s not the *prettiest* beach in Chicago, but your statements seem a little clueless to the fact that it is one of the *busiest*. This tells me you may not have your finger on the pulse of this issue. And Wells street is about a 10 minute walk from this building.

Cmon Dan you don’t like dublins? Blue agave makes a nice cheap margarita you will enjoy and theres a bunch of little fun places down rush st including that jazz in the basement place. There is a little park just south of oak st that has grass for you. I’m not sure why you think nobody that lives here uses the lakefront but this is a spectacular place to be if you enjoy an early morning jog or bike ride or if your pooch likes to swim. I used to live close to lake and I sure miss it.

People on ELSD most certainly do hang out at Oak Street Beach, they also frequent the Triangle, and *gasp* the Division Street bars. I take it you’ve never been in Mothers or the Lodge before, because if you had, you would know that you can see fur coats and laughably bad hairpieces in both every night of the week. The Division tunnel has also always smelled, even way back in the year 2000 when you could still get a $7 Heinie on Rush. Funny that smell never managed to deter the greatest accumulation of wealth in Chicago. It must feel good to be so much smarter than all those stupid rich people that live there!

Jewel at Clark and Division doesn’t qualify as “nearby”? How close does a full-line grocer need to be to qualify as “nearby”? How much of the entire city has a grocery store “nearby” under that definition?

One never sees rich people (or the wannabe-perceived-rich types like those in a 1300 N. LSD type building) lugging brown plastic full Jewel bags in both hands on Division Street between Dearborn and State. How glamorous is that? That Jewel is inconvenient to 1300 N. LSD by any stretch. My guess is these people have to get their cars out of a garage to run basic errands.

PS If these people are eating/drinking at the Viagra triangle so much are they unfit and fat too? …..cue the comment about a salad and glass of pino girigio

“There is a big grocery store on division and clark and if you live here why would you ever drive anywhere?”

I don’t believe this. Suntanning is out amongst educated people and the Lodge and Mothers? You can’t possibly be serious. Where are they hanging out at the secret back bar at the Lodge? not any of the times I’ve been there.

“People on ELSD most certainly do hang out at Oak Street Beach, they also frequent the Triangle, and *gasp* the Division Street bars. I take it you’ve never been in Mothers or the Lodge before, because if you had, you would know that you can see fur coats and laughably bad hairpieces in both every night of the week.”

@ Groove, I bet to differ. Many people still like to do their own grocery shopping even if they are very wealthy. It is not Victorian era any more.
Also many upper middle class folks in their forties or fifties can afford 1mil dollar condos so it does not even mean one is rich.

“umm yeah if your paying 1mil for a condo and 1.5k a month for taxes i dont think you going to your local jewel very often……. YOUR GROCERIES WILL BE GETTING DELIVERED!”

“@ Groove, I bet to differ. Many people still like to do their own grocery shopping even if they are very wealthy. It is not Victorian era any more.
Also many upper middle class folks in their forties or fifties can afford 1mil dollar condos so it does not even mean one is rich. ”

Well, there is shopping for one’s groceries and then there is taking said groceries from the store to one’s home. Doing one oneself does not require doing the other oneself.

True anon, but there are people who actually enjoy going and buying their food and even carrying it up the stairs. Not everyone lives like a 19th century duchesses because they own a million dollar place. Also if you cook, sometimes you realize you need an ingredient and need to pop to the store and get it. Sometimes I wonder which universe you guys like in. Has to be way different than were I live in and I was brought up with stay in nanny and a weekly cleaning lady but my parents who worked full time jobs always had time to shop and they actually carried them themselves.

Now I understand the disconnect. I live in real Chicago, Dan. You are speaking of Bizzaro Chicago. Although I am unfamiliar with your planet and its customs, I find your views fascinating and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

“Sometimes I wonder which universe you guys like in. Has to be way different than were I live in”

Because I point out that A =/= B?

I’m just getting my man Groove’s back on the concept. And the concept is one of not **needing** to carry one’s groceries the half mile back from the store, which allows one to take a nice walk to the grocer and back, making the whole process more enjoyable, and at a rather low cost (at least relative to $1590 monthly assessment).

I used to live in this general neighborhood. I did not own a car. I will unravel the mystery for you folks: If you want groceries, you walk to Treasure Island, or, if it’s a nice day and you feel like a stroll, Whole Foods. You then take a cab home. $5. Magic.

You’re not hip then, A-fed, lakefront liberals aren’t into stuffing themselves with hormone-fed meat, booze, and 2,500 calorie meals. This is not the city of big shoulders anymore, our next mayor was a ballerina. Get with the program….

Does 1300 N. LSD have a valet operated garage? Imagine, having to call down, get the valet to bring up the car, wait around for 10 minutes to have this occur, then drive past Bootlegger’s and the Popeye’s/Domino’s just to get some Jewel item. It’s easier living in a mccrapbox condo with an outdoor parking spot. That’s all I’m saying. Plus staring out at the lake, isn’t all it’s cracked up to be, totally dark at night, a few boats buzzing around in the summer, and the lake is really just a big pond, it’s not like it’s Malibu-like waves. The wind is freezing and there’s no place to go except under a tunnel with strangers to get to a slab of concrete overlooking the big pond.

Walk to the Jewel, buy your groceries and have them delivered. I do this and I’m not rich- just don’t own a car and can’t carry stuff. Save the car for jaunts to the burbs.

LSD is a great neighborhood, one of the best in the Midwest, however you figure. Beautiful views, and walking distance from everything. The neighborhood denizens DO hang out at the local bars and restaurants, and many of them ride the bus down to the shopping further south on Michigan. Many do not even own cars- I know, for I know a number of people in this area.

Treasure Island is at Elm and Deaborn. Hardware store on Elm as well. All sorts of services, eg Fed Ex, etc within 4-6 blocks.
The lake shore has a generous green strip with mature trees between the paved path and LSD– benches; BBQ grills; water fountains.
I run thru the Division underpass every morning and it is clean and has no smell. In the warm months it is pressure washed daily.

The Chatter on this one really cracks me up – YES, OMG, 1300 N. LSD IS IN A FOOD DESERT!!!!! AND RICH PEOPLE NEVER CARRY GROCERIES! AND THEY CAN’T WALK – As SOON AS YOU MAKE YOUR FIRST MILLION THEY TAKE YOUR LEGS!!! I know a billionaire who washes his own cars. The rich – they’re (quite a bit) just like us.

This place is overpriced, sure, but don’t act like it’s not an attractive property and a very desirable location. It’s very walkable as long as you are comfortable WALKING A LITTLE! Do you jokers all live in the same peppermint/gold tower which has zero drawbacks and carbon fiber appliances?

This has got to be one of the dumbest conversations I’ve ever read on here. If you’re going to shout off your opinion about an inane topic, please, for the sake the readers here, make sure the opinion is logical, well-reasoned and based upon some fact. Saying that this location sucks is just plain stupid. The location does not suck. It’s not ideal for some people, but it’s ideal for others. For me, I would not want to live here but I recognize that other people would. Nothing is more than a 5 minute cab ride away. I used to work with somebody who lived in the Playboy building and he took a cab to work, every day, and cabbed it everywhere. He must have spent hundreds of dollars a month in cab fares.

Yes, the annoying division street bars are closeby, but I never really find myself going out in that direction, i’m more often on wells st a few blocks east if I need to go out locally…the rush st. bar scene is ‘okay’ occasionally..i’m a big fan of the drawing room , which is an easy walk.

the Jewel is super ghetto – it’s right off the red line and kind of a sketchy stretch for a grocery store, and honestly kind of a tough walk for groceries. I grocery shop at either the dominicks east of there or make the trek up to whole foods in lincoln park, which is ~ 10 minute drive tops..There is also a potash bros. pretty closeby to here.

I wouldn’t call the lake a pond with a concrete slab though..our stretch of the lake is very very beautiful in my opinion, and we are smack dab between oak street and north avenue beach, which is awesome.

However, within the neighborhood I think there are better options at this price point, lake views or not :

I have a place at 1150 LSD (yeah, I know – the poorest building on this stretch) and I used that as my in-town 10 years ago. I have to say that the location is not as great as many people would think. Winters are freezing (with the breezes/wind up Division) and, although the views are spectacular, you really don’t feel like you live in a neighborhood. Also, the valets took about 30 minutes to get your car – it was painful…….

It does kind of look like that..not sure what bertrand was thinking with that, but he was always all about the ‘core’ of the building with elevators surrounded by the units..when they updated the original in the 90’s i wish they had done something about the stilts.

Clio, I guess you get your groceries delivered too. I always just go get my car and it so quick. Actually I don’t like buying in building that one cannot own the parking space. I think you have spoiled the CCers and they think all rich folks valet park and get their own grocery : )

LOL – and living on mag mile feels like a neighborhood? yeah, the lakefront and the quiet streets of the gold coast with shady trees aren’t a neighborhood, but streeterville is definitely a place that gives me a ‘neighborhood’ feel. your posts make me have seizures clio.

I thought for one minute that I was going to agree with HD for the first time ever…and then he ruins his argument with the cab costs. What in the hell has that got to do with your point, HD?

HD says–
This has got to be one of the dumbest conversations I’ve ever read on here. If you’re going to shout off your opinion about an inane topic, please, for the sake the readers here, make sure the opinion is logical, well-reasoned and based upon some fact. Saying that this location sucks is just plain stupid. The location does not suck. It’s not ideal for some people, but it’s ideal for others. For me, I would not want to live here but I recognize that other people would. Nothing is more than a 5 minute cab ride away. I used to work with somebody who lived in the Playboy building and he took a cab to work, every day, and cabbed it everywhere. He must have spent hundreds of dollars a month in cab fares.

Peapod is the best deal around. I have been doing it for five years. I only order what I need (no impulse purchases) and spend the same on food that others in my demographic do. No need to deal with parking, crowds, etc.

Even though I am one of the few who try to see the buyer’s perspective in this forum, they must be simply delusional if they think they can get that money for that property. If you are a willing buyer, I’d say, it’s very hard to get above $800K for these LSD properties that were built between 50’s through 7-‘s.
Few exceptions exist, like the Carlyle. On top of it, this is over the top ugly.

Clio: How many times did you go to Jewel and lug back full grocery bags 5-6 blocks in both arms on those frigid days? Including heavy loads incl. milk and 12-pks. of Diet Coke too…lugging all of this and walking by the drinkers sitting staring out the windows of Butch’s and Shennanigns? I doubt you ever did it, am I right? The stretch between 1200-1600 N LSD is a no man’s land with no amenities and mostly valet garages which are indeed a pain. Nobody is knocking the Gold Coast proper, esp. the areas closer to Oak St. etc. but 1300 N. LSD is a lame location.

“I have a place at 1150 LSD (yeah, I know – the poorest building on this stretch) and I used that as my in-town 10 years ago. I have to say that the location is not as great as many people would think. Winters are freezing (with the breezes/wind up Division) and, although the views are spectacular, you really don’t feel like you live in a neighborhood. Also, the valets took about 30 minutes to get your car – it was painful…….”

Dan – I agree with you ….but for different reasons. I personally don’t like that stretch of LSD but it is not because of groceries or convenience (for the record, I haven’t been to a grocery store in 8 or 9 years). I don’t like the neighborhood because it is kind of desolate and scary at night (the inner drive) and, in the winter, is REALLY cold. It really doesn’t have a neighborhood feel (as E. Elm, Bellevue, Astor, etc. have). I am sure that people who live in those high rises either have their groceries delivered or eat out.

Just have a question, not exactly sure of where to post. I am seriously contemplating on buying a unit located on the strecth of LSD. The address is 3550 N LSD. Someone on here mentioned that the strecth between 1200-1600 is a no man’s land.

Will being at the upper 3000’s help at all, in terms of walkability and convenience? Or is it the same kind of deal? Thanks a lot.

I lived along inner drive right by here and there was a little grocery store in the base of one of the buildings at Schiller street ( I think), there may be others scattered around. You probably have to live in the Gold Coast to know about all the little stores and shops.

I was trying to fool everyone. Wealthy Gold Coasters do not hang out at the Division bars. Hair hats, chunky jewelry, fur coats, cougars, and sugar daddies actually can’t be found on Division every night of the week.

LOFL.

The other day you claimed that I didn’t even live in Lincoln Park, lol. You claimed that I talked about the area like a wannabe poor talks about designer labels he can’t afford, lol.

*You’ve* been embarrassing yourself since your first post and probably since the first day you stepped off the boat.

“I was trying to fool everyone. Wealthy Gold Coasters do not hang out at the Division bars. Hair hats, chunky jewelry, fur coats, cougars, and sugar daddies actually can’t be found on Division every night of the week.”

Yeah, spinoza was right. I wouldn’t be caught dead on division street, and neither would any of my neighbors. I can say with confidence that people with money don’t go out on the division street bars – it’s a dump, and so are all of those bars. They attract the typical crap suburb/indiana/wisconsin crowd that is in town for the weekend. The gold coast rich crowd can be found along Rush at luxbar, the drawing room, Bernard’s bar in the elysian, and occasionally for a late night at dublins or hunt club ( if they are super super desperate ).

I’d rather choke on my own vomit than go out on division. which is funny really, as that as what most folks are doing at those bars by the time 2 am rolls around. Classy.

As far as the comments that rich people don’t get groceries, i’ve never heard anything so idiotic – what troll wants to sit at a computer or get on a phone and order groceries. People like being outdoors, even rich ones.

I agree with Riz. Fox and Obel half of the time has semi rotten produce. I am not sure what definition of rich is, but lots of people with money actually cook and any one who actually likes to cook grocery shops. I can understand that for most bachelors grocery shopping is not an attractive perspective, but that does not mean we live in a Victorian society.

“Yeah, spinoza was right. I wouldn’t be caught dead on division street, and neither would any of my neighbors. I can say with confidence that people with money don’t go out on the division street bars. ”

LOL. What?

You know that goofy old rich GCers don’t go to the Division bars because you don’t go to them?

Anyone that claims that neighborhood people don’t go to the Division bars can’t be taken seriously.

BTW, what is definition of rich? To me an income level exceeding 500K a year per couple is rich. Maybe to you, only JZ is rich and I buy that perhaps someone like him who is also very famous might not go grocery shopping in fear of having to deal with fans. But, I doubt that is what you guys meant.

miumiu, I think that’s a serviceable definition. Although I know plenty of folks that don’t have jobs per se, but have trusts/investments that pay somewhat less than 500k per year that I consider very wealthy.

Division street is a dump and not a place where local rich people hang out. I live in the neighborhood and my family has owned in the zip code for the past 10 years, and nobody local hangs out on Division. Mothers? Mothers too? hell no. Pj Clarkes and Mcfaddens on State? yeah, maybe. that’s about it though.

I also think 500k+ yearly income can be seen as ‘rich’ by most. If an investment is returning nearly 500k on a yearly basis that individual is probably worth at least 5 mil or so, which would be ‘rich’ on some standards for sure.

Although, some, ( clio for sure, i think ) probably wouldn’t throw around a tag like ‘rich’ or ‘wealthy to individuals making less than 1 mil or with a net worth of 10 mil or so.

Thanks Riz. I had heard a big pizza joint was going in there. Well- that will spice things up a bit for the neighborhood. There was either upscale dining options (Tavern on Rush etc.) or Subway and Chipotle. With the exception of Corner Bakery and Big Bowl there weren’t a lot of inbetween options.

Nice burn, Spiner. I’ll have to whip that one out the next time a green-card chasing breezy that can’t stop ogling my Patek tells me she lives in DePaulville. Hopefully she idiosyncratically butchers the language as “divinely” as you. lol.

Really chicagobull,
do most everyday lp women even know what a Patek is? They are such boring plain faced watches. My old man collects them and I’ve never been impressed. How do you know spinoza’s accent anyways? Or am I on the outside of an inside joke here.

Spiner is a foreigner with a penchant for luxury goods and sniffing out deceit. Spiner became enraged last week when I was ripping on Spiner’s sub-neighborhood henceforth known as DePaulville. Spiner just called Fox & O’s wheat bread “divine”.

Based on Spiner’s earlier comments to me, I calculated my last post to be the most dickhead thing I could possibly say. I wasn’t necessarily commenting on Spinoza’s specific nationality or the proportion of gold digging watch aficionados in LP vs the GC.